Orphan of the Sand
by PuppetJutsu
Summary: When Kankuro investigates a recently attacked village, he finds an orphan child, the only survivor. Taking the boy back to Suna, he takes care of the orphan boy. An OC character story, revolving heavily around Kankuro, Gaara, and the Sand
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Hey guys. Well this is my first fan fic for the sight, and the first fanfic I started. I'm currently in between this one and another, but will focus on this one. I'd really appreciate any reviews or criticisms. So, yeah. Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy!_

**Chapter 1:**

Under the light of the full moon a platoon of three shinobi ran, swiftly and silently. In a few minutes they would reach their objective, a small village only a few kilometres from the border of Earth Country. The night was cold, as it was most nights. The country of Wind was known for its harsh conditions, but many foreigners had come to an untimely end in the desert by being ill prepared. Concerned only about heat and winds, many travellers have perished, neglecting to pack for the chill of the desert's nights.

As the shinobi entered the village, the leader raised a hand, signalling to stop. The village was silent and dark. No torches or lights were on in the entire village. The jounin sighed, hoping that his fears were unfounded. With another hand signal he commanded his comrades to begin searching. With a nod they swiftly disappeared. The jounin leader began running along the main streets. He stuck to the shadows, making sure to stay hidden. In his left ear he heard one of his team members.

"Kankuro, can you hear me?"

"Yes. What have you found?"

"I'm afraid we are too late, whoever did this is long gone. These villagers have been dead for several hours now."

Kankuro pinched the bridge of his nose. _Damn._ "Okay, let's search the rest of the village for any signs of survivors. Be careful and keep an eye out for any traps. There is a good chance we were expected to investigate. Let's do this quickly."

Kankuro picked up his pace. He had a bad feeling and didn't want to stay here any longer than needed. Suddenly he felt a presence. It wasn't far. He stopped to listen for any sounds. If someone was nearby he should be able to hear them. The village was silent, except for the sound of the wind blowing through the buildings, the occasional slam of a door or window. _There it was! A whimper, in the alley about 200 meters away!_ Kankuro ran swiftly to the alley.

"Hey, is anyone here?"

In the corner of the alley was a child, Kankuro could only guess his age to be around 10 years. His eyes were wide open in terror. Kankuro walked slowly towards the child.

"Hey, don't worry. I'm a ninja of the Sand. I'm here to help you. My name is Kankuro." Kankuro spoke calmly, knowing he couldn't afford to frighten this kid.

The boy nodded slowly, but still didn't say a word. Kankuro slowly grabbed the child and picked him up. It wasn't until he had exited the alley that Kankuro realised what was about to happen. As if by instinct, Kankuro grabbed a scroll from his back and summoned his puppet Sanshouuo

Calm down Kankuro, calm down. 

"Let's go."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: **

"I'm sorry Kazekage-sama, we were too late."

The Kazekage sat at his desk, his face impassive as usual. He wore the traditional white and blue robes of the Hidden Sand. His eyes were dark, they always would be. But they had now lost some of the coldness they once possessed.

"Kankuro," Gaara's voice was as impassive as his face. "This mission was a success. Even if you had have arrived before the villagers had been killed, there is the possibility that you may not have been enough to stop them. Your mission was to investigate the village, which you accomplished. Do not blame yourself for things beyond your control."

Kankuro and his two subordinates stood to attention. "Yes Kazekage-sama." The two chuunin ninjas turned and left the office. Kankuro stayed behind.

"Kankuro, where is the survivor now?" Garra asked, his voice its tone, controlled and soft.

"He's in the hospital for the moment. He has been through a lot, so I figured he should get some rest. The medics are taking care of him and making sure he is okay." Gaara nodded. He felt sorry for this boy, who had lost everything in one night. The Kazekage let out a sigh. "These attacks are getting worse."

Kankuro furrowed his brow. "These bastards need to be dealt with. We know they are the Hidden Rock's ninjas, we need to retaliate."

Gaara shook his head. "We have no substantial proof that these attacks are being caused by the Hidden Rock. If we retaliate now we will be drawn into a war, which I do not want." The Kazekage looked calmly at his older brother. "Kankuro, you know as well as I do that these attacks are suspicious. And while I also suspect the Earth Country, we cannot prove their guilt. We need to wait until we have the proper evidence."

Kankuro sighed heavily. He didn't want to go to war anymore than his brother. He knew Gaara was right. And he also knew that Gaara had to act first and foremost as Kazekage.

Kankuro's thoughts were soon interrupted by his younger brother.

"What are you going to do with the child when he gets out of hospital?" asked Gaara.

Kankuro laughed. "I'm not really sure. I guess he can stay with me to start with. It must be hard for him. Then I'll see what he wants to do."

Gaara gave a questioning glance at black clad ninja. "I thought you didn't like kids?"

Kankuro shot a sour look towards his brother.

"I don't."


	3. Chapter 3

When he awoke the only things he could think of was the horrible nightmare he had just had, and that he had no idea where he was. The room was filled with light from the window above the bed. He was not used to waking up in a house. It happened from time to time, someone would come along and find him and bring him to their homes for the night. At first he used to panic and run away before whoever it was could realise he was gone. But after a while the boy began to stay. He was usually taken in by families and older couples. They treated him well. They fed him and let him bathe. Sometimes they would even give him some new clothes when his old ones became too tattered. But they never talked much, and he never stayed too long. Even as a child, he could feel the uneasiness, the suspicion. It was natural. Everyone felt the same. So he soon learned to not overstay his welcome.

"How are you feeling?" A woman dressed in white was looking at him. The boy sat up and nodded. As he looked around the room he noticed all sorts of strange boxes and machines. The nurse could see that this boy was confused.

"Don't worry, you're in a hospital. You were brought here by one of our village's ninjas. This is the Hidden Village of Sand." She smiled warmly at the boy.

The boy looked blankly at the nurse. "My village…?"

The nurse closed her eyes and let her shoulders drop only slightly. She was hoping the boy wouldn't ask this question so soon.

"Your village was ambushed by ninjas from the Hidden Rock. I'm afraid everyone was killed…everyone, except you." The nurse spun around to see where the voice had come from. Kankuro stood in the doorway with a stern look on his face. He walked over to the boy and kneeled down closer. "I'm sorry."

Kankuro waited for the boy to cry. It was only to be expected. He had lost everything. Kankuro was worried when after two minutes of silent waiting the boy looked up at him with dry eyes.

Kankuro and the nurse both frowned. "Do you understand what we're telling you? Your family, along with everyone else in your village…they're dead." The nursed asked gently.

The boy maintained his blank expression ask he spoke. His voice was soft, he fumbled his words, trying to think of the right way to ask, the right word to say. He wasn't used to talking. "I…I don't have any family."

Both Kankuro and the nurse were taken back a step. Kankuro was the first to speak.

"You're an orphan?"

The boy nodded.

"I see. What's your name kid?"

The boy smiled. "Oyanashigo."

Kankuro smiled weakly back at the boy. He didn't even have a real name. Turning to the nurse Kankuro smiled. "Thanks for looking after him. I'll take him from here."

The nurse looked puzzled. "What are you going to do with him?"

Kankuro grinned widely, first at the boy, then at the nurse. "We're gonna be room-mates."

The nurse frowned again. "But Kankuro-sama…don't you…hate children?"

The nurse swore Kankuro's grin started to become more forced.

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**Notes:** _Oyanashigo_ - orphan


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The Sand Siblings had long since moved into separate residences. Gaara of course now lived in the Kazekage quarters. Temari had moved into a fairly spacious apartment. She lived alone most of the time, except for the times a correspondent from Konoha arrived. Kankuro's apartment in comparison was rather small. He lived alone and rarely entertained guests. His apartment wasn't tiny by any means, by it was much more modest than Temari's.

Opening the door, Kankuro groaned to himself. He had been summoned for the mission to the village so quickly that he had no time to put everything back. Contrary to what people might have thought, Kankuro was usually quite organised and neat. He arranged things carefully. He had to. His apartment was full of puppet scrolls, tools, spare parts, weapons and poisons. These were things he couldn't just leave lying around. But at least he didn't need to worry about little fingers touching dangerous things. He kept everything packed away and protected with seals. Except for tonight.

Entering the room he quickly began picking up anything that would be dangerous. "Make sure you don't touch anything."

The boy stood in the middle of the room. "Okay."

It didn't take Kankuro long to clean everything up. When he was finished he motioned for the boy to sit on the couch. "Are you hungry?"

The boy just nodded.

"Okay, wait here and I'll get you something."

Kankuro quickly went into the kitchen and heated up some left over rice and vegetables. He didn't have much in his fridge. He would have to go shopping.

Returning to the living room he passed the bowl to the boy, who had not moved an inch. The boy's face lit up at the sight of the food. _I guess he must not have eaten much at the hospital_.

When the two had finished their meals Kankuro led the boy into his bedroom. "You can sleep here tonight. I'll sleep out in the living room, okay?"

The boy nodded. Kankuro quickly noticed that the boy had been given back the clothes he was found in. He wasn't sure what had torn the boy's clothes more, living on the streets or being in the middle of a battle zone. Grinning suddenly, he pulled out a shirt from his wardrobe. Moving towards the dresser the ninja pulled a pair of scissors out of a drawer and began to cut the shirt up. Handing it to the puzzled boy Kankuro couldn't help but laugh.

"For you to sleep in. Don't worry, I've got plenty more." _Better buy some clothes too,_ _he thought sulkily, thinking about how this would affect his wallet's contents._

Turning on a lamp Kankuro began to walk towards the door.

"When you get changed try and get some sleep. You've been through a lot. We can have a nice long talk tomorrow. For now, get some rest." Turning off the light, Kankuro shut the door.

The boy quickly pulled off his tattered clothes and slipped the shirt on. It reached down to his knees. He climbed into the large bed, turned off the lamp and laid down to sleep. The bedroom had a large window overlooking the city. The boy couldn't help but marvel at the size and sheer spectacle of the Village of Sand as sleep slowly consumed him.


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Hey guys, just a thanks to those who have read and reviewed my story, I really appreciate it. I'm really interested to know what people think._

_Hiei-and-shino__: No, sorry. This isn't going to be a GaaxKanku story. That's not really my thing. This story is mainly gonna focus on the boy._

**Chapter 5: **

As the sun crept into sky, the boy began to wake. He couldn't help but smile. _This is the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in._ He stared up at the ceiling, as the memory of his dreams came flooding back. The nightmare he had the night in the hospital. He rolled over onto his side. But it wasn't a nightmare. The boy felt sad, or at least he thought he felt sad. _A lot of really nice people died. They gave me food and clothes and let me sleep in their beds._ But I didn't know any of them.

As the boy moved his eyes to the large glass window in front of him his mouth began to open in awe. He had seen many sunrises before. But never like this. The sky, the city of Suna, both awash in hues of red, yellow, orange, purple, and blue. Nothing the boy had ever witnessed could compare to the scene he was seeing in front of him. The Sun was a perfectly round orb, glowing magnificently. The boy rose out of bed and walked to the window, which he realised were actually glass doors leading to a balcony. The boy walked to the doors, and hesitantly reached to open them. He wasn't sure if that ninja would be upset with him. The boy soon decided that he wouldn't, so he proceeded to open the doors. As he stepped out onto the balcony a warm breeze crept up to meet him. It was out here on the balcony that the boy first got to really appreciate the size of Suna. Buildings all made of sand, sprawling out in a circular pattern. As he looked out to the distance, he realised that the entire village was surrounded by massive cliffs. The boy stood in wonder, drinking in all the sights, smells and sounds he could.

After a while, he went back into the apartment. Quietly stepping out of the bedroom, the boy looked around the room to see if the ninja was around. Seeing that he wasn't, he stepped into the main living area. He couldn't see any sign of sleeping gear, which made him wonder if the ninja really did sleep out here.

As he walked past the dining table, he noticed a bit of paper with some black markings on it. Stepping back, the boy decided he better leave it alone. He paced around the room for a while, wondering what he should do. If he tried to run away, the ninja would surely catch him. Deciding on a safe course of action, the boy took to the balcony.

Having lived in the desert all his life, the boy knew better than to sit out in the sun without shade. The desert sun was unforgiving. Taking two chairs from the dining table, as well as his blankets from the night before, the boy managed to put up an effective makeshift tent. Laying in the shade, at the edge of the balcony, the boy looked down into the streets of Suna.

When Kankuro entered his apartment, his first thoughts were that he'd been robbed. Two of his kitchen chairs were missing. _Who the hell steals a guy's chairs?_ The note he left for the boy hadn't even been touched. Kankuro sighed. _I guess he doesn't know how to read. I thought as much._ Noticing the bedroom door open, Kankuro went to inspect. Seeing the balcony door open and a makeshift tent, Kankuro chuckled to himself. Walking out onto the balcony, Kankuro briefly paused to stretch and take in the sunlight.

"Nice out here isn't it," Kankuro said, sitting down next to the tent. He heard the boy inside gasp, startled by the sudden company.

"I love to sit out here whenever I get a chance. Despite the heat and the sand, I feel relaxed just sitting here, looking out at everything."

The boy couldn't see the ninja. He _had obviously wanted to leave me alone. _But still, he was glad that they both had something in common. "When I was in my village, I used to love finding nice spots where I could sit and watch everybody. But because everyone thought I was trouble, I had to find hiding spots."

Kankuro looked towards the tent. The boy continued. "It used to be sort of fun. Trying to find spots where I could see everything, but they couldn't see me. I felt invisible." The boy stopped suddenly. He hadn't meant to phrase it like that, but his own words stung. "I was invisible… When I was younger I used to try and get people's attention. But everyone would ignore me. It was like they couldn't see me. But when I hid, I felt like I was invisible because I wanted to be. Not because they made me. It was my choice; I chose not to let them see me!" The boy sat up and looked around the side of the tent and smiled at Kankuro.

Kankuro couldn't help but smile at the boy. He was so full of spirit. He was like Uzumaki Naruto. He was like Gaara.

"When you hide, you are in control. If the enemy doesn't know where you are, you will always have the upper hand. You live in the shadows; become a ghost, a silhouette. You move with the wind, and eventually you yourself can move like the wind. You are invisible." The boy looked at Kankuro questioningly. Kankuro just laughed.

"I'm a lot like you in that way. I like to hide as well." He put his arm gently on the boy's shoulder. The boy was hesitant, but soon just grinned at Kankuro.

"I think we'll get along." The boy nodded in agreement. Kankuro lifted his hand off the boys shoulder and stood up, reaching down to help him up. "Come on, I've been shopping. Let's have something to eat. I also got you some new clothes." The boy's eyes lit up. He quickly stood up and raced into the apartment, Kankuro following behind. _Maybe this kid isn't so bad…_

After eating and much excitement over new clothes, Kankuro told the boy that they were going for a walk. The boy was eager to explore the village.

"Now make sure you stay with me. The streets on Suna can be like a maze if you don't know it. I don't want you to get last, okay?"

The boy grinned and nodded in agreement. The day was a pleasant day, for Suna. The sky was clear and cloudless, although this was mostly the case. It rarely, if ever rained in Suna. But for once the heat was tolerable, and the wind was low, meaning they would be free of any sandstorms. As a result of such agreeable weather, the streets of Suna were bustling. Stores set up stalls on the sides of the streets. Vendors were cooking and selling various wares. It was a breathtaking event for the young orphan. Kankuro was amused at the boy. He was so curious, so eager to learn. He absorbed everything like a sponge.

After an hour and a half they finally reached the administration building. When they entered, the workers at the desk all gave Kankuro a nod of respect. The boy heard a few of them greet the ninja.

"Kankuro-sama."

Kankuro acknowledged everyone. He was obviously someone important, the boy thought. They walked down several hallways and up several flights of stairs, eventually reaching a large set of doors. Kankuro led the boy to the doors, and entered the room. The boy was beginning to feel nervous.

When they entered the office, the boy met the eyes of a man dressed in blue and white robes. They boy was fascinated by this new man. He had bright red hair, and dark eyes. And on his forehead was some strange mark. Kankuro urged the boy to approach closer. The boy gulped and stepped forwards. The man in robes held out his hand, asking the boy to sit in the chair in front of him. When the man spoke, it was so sudden and so gentle that the boy wasn't sure whether he really heard it. He had expected, well he wasn't sure. But it wasn't the melodious yet impassive voice that was coming from this man.

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better." The boy replied nervously.

"Do not worry, there's no need to be afraid. My name is Gaara, the Kazekage and leader of the people of Suna. You have been through much these last few days. You have my condolences." The boy smiled, reassured. The Kazekage continued. "I have been thinking of what would be the best for you, but first I would like you to tell me what you would like to do?"

The boy was taken aback by the abruptness of the question. "Um, I…I'm not really sure Kazekage-s…sama." The boy glanced at Kankuro, who nodded for his use of Sama. The boy smiled and turned back to the Kazekage. "But, if it's okay, I wouldn't mind staying here with Kankuro-sama. Kankuro chuckled to himself when he heard the boy's title for him.

The Kazekage nodded, his face impassive. "I thought you might. Very well." Gaara stood up and made his way to the boy, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, much like Kankuro had earlier.

"From this day on you will be a citizen of Suna. You will be treated as one of us. You are now one of my people, and as your Kazekage I swear to protect you with my life."

The boy couldn't speak. This man who he had never met before, this man was swearing to protect him with his own life. The boy looked at Gaara, eyes full of admiration.

"Thank you, Kazekage-sama."

Kankuro clapped his hand on the boy's free shoulder, grinning. "Welcome to Suna kid. Don't worry; I'll take care of you too."

As much as the boy tried to steel his emotions, tears were beginning to find their way out. He had long since banished the thoughts of a home; of a family. But now he had been accepted. He had a home, and he had a family. The tears won.

At the doorway a figure chuckled. The boy looked up to see a blonde woman dressed in black, her hair tied up into four ponytails. "So it's true. I can't believe it; Kankuro has taken in a child." She walked over to the group and knelt down in front of the boy. All of a sudden she flashed him a wide grin. "How are you feeling? Are these two treating you well?"

The boy lit up at the reminder of his new family, so returned the smile back to Temari, twice as big. "Kankuro-sama has been really nice to me. He let me have his bed and he made me food. Then the next day he bought me clothes and more food. And we have lots in common."

Temari raised a questioning eyebrow at her brother, who could only laugh and shrug. The boy's ravings continued.

"And just now I met Kazekage-sama. And he made me one of his people, and he said he would protect me with his life." Temari smiled at the boy, then at the youngest sibling.

"And he will. He's is a great Kazekage." The woman stood back up and took a step back, glancing over the boy. "Well, if these two are going to be looking after you, I guess I'll just have to as well." She grinned brightly. "After all, we've got to look after our family."

The boy's thoughts raced. _Family? Did she say family?_ He felt a familiar wave overcome him, the trembling of his lip, the swelling tears.

Kankuro spoke up next. "Temari here is our sister." The boy looked questioningly at Kankuro. "I guess I didn't explain that to you did I? Temari, Gaara and I are sibling."

The boy's mouth hung open.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

The night air was cold, the wind a gentle breeze. Kankuro and the boy laid back, bathed in the moonlight. The moon hung low this night, a giant white orb illuminating the dark sky. The boy looked in amazement; he had never seen the moon so close before. Kankuro smiled, amused knowing the boy was in awe.

"The moon always shines brightly in Suna. You can always get a good view."

The boy nodded. "In my village the moon was never this big. It always looked so far away."

After several minutes, Kankuro sat up. "Now that you're a citizen of Suna, you'll be in my care. Tomorrow I'll show you around the village so you can learn your way. Then we can start our lessons."

The boy looked up at Kankuro confused. "Lessons?"

The black clad ninja nodded. "I'm going to give you a basic education from now on. I'll teach you to read, give you basic maths lessons. Just to catch you up on all the basics you'll need. Is that alright with you?"

The boy jolted upright, his face full of excitement. "Yes Kankuro-sama!"

Kankuro laughed. "Just call me Kankuro. There's no need for the Sama. I'm not comfortable with titles." Seeing the boys confusing he decided to explain further. "Other people call me Kankuro-sama because I'm a brother to the current Kazekage, as well as son to the Third. But don't worry, there's no need to worry about any of that. We're friends after all, right?"

The boy grinned and nodded. "Okay, Kankuro."

Kankuro smiled, then immediately thought of something. "I just realised, we need to give you a name. We can't just keep calling you 'boy' now, can we?"

The boy nodded, slowly. He had always thought his name was Oyanashigo. That was what all the people in his old village had called him. Kankuro knew the boy was puzzled.

"What the villagers used to call you, it means 'orphan', or parentless child. It's not a proper name. Seeing as you're starting a new life, why not begin with a new name? So, any ideas?"

Now the boy understood. He grinned ecstatically. What should he be named? Then it dawned on both of them, neither really knew how to pick a name. Kankuro decided he better come up with something.

"How about we pick a something that you like?"

The boy thought for a while. "I…like the moon. It's so big and beautiful."

Kankuro thought. _Moon. Moonlight? _

"What about Getsumei? It means moonlight. It can represent tonight, you're first night as a Suna citizen." Kankuro smiled proudly. "It's perfect."

The boy couldn't be happier. He finally had a real name, a home and a real family. Everything he had never had was coming to him all in a matter of days. "My name…is Getsumei." _Getsumei, Moonlight. It sounded great._

The two both sat there silent; Getsumei, excited with his new name and Kankuro, proud of himself for having thought of it on the first try. Suddenly Getsumei rushed over to Kankuro, catching the ninja off guard with a hug. Kankuro just smiled to himself.

"Yep, I'm a genius."

The weeks passed. Kankuro had kept his word. He led Getsumei around the village, making the boy memorise routes. After the first day Getsumei could walk from the apartment to the Kazekage building on his own. By the second day, the market. Kankuro was pleased with Getsumei's progress. As he had suspected, the boy had an insatiable thirst for knowledge. His memory was superb as well. Aside from learning the village, Kankuro also taught the boy how to read, how to perform a satisfactory amount of maths, how currency works, as well as many other basics. After the first month Kankuro was able to resume missions, which he had been temporarily suspended from, as orders of the Kazekage, and leave the boy unsupervised.

The boy would spend his days wandering the village. Kankuro gave the boy a weekly allowance based on Getsumei's progress, which meant the boy was rarely short on money. He would often wander Suna's markets, buying different foods. He had also began to start collecting books, and would often be found browsing in one of Suna's many book sellers or libraries. He searched for books on Suna's history and customs, deciding that as a citizen it was his duty to know everything he could about his village.

Getsumei had adapted well to Suna. His face soon became well recognised around the village and many admired the boy's cheerful and friendly nature. They would listen to the boy's many rants on his 'adventures'. Most villagers found a source of amusement from his admiration of Kankuro, the person they least expected to take a child into his care. Many parents laughed to themselves as they remembered the puppeteer as a child, terrorising and bullying the other children. How he had changed it would seem. And so Getsumei's life in the Hidden Village of Sand had begun as a happy one.

The boy walked down the road that led back to the apartment. He was carrying a stack of books, the result of a hard days search. The sun was beginning to set, meaning most shops and stalls were closing for the day. The restaurants and bars stayed open, and many of the villagers would patron them soon. The early starters could be heard, loudly. As the boy passed a small sake booth, he heard a familiar sound. Stopping he turned around to see who the voice he recognised belonged to. A middle aged man sat at the bar. He wore a brown kimono. His short hair was beginning to grey. And at the site of this man Getsumei dropped his books in surprise.

The commotion of the boy dropping his books caught the attention of the man, who looked at the boy. Slowly realisation began to take over this man. As he slowly rose the boy took a step towards him and smiled.

"Hibiki-san."

As the man walked towards Getsumei, the boy could sense something was not right. He thought Hibiki would be happy to see him. But the man's gaze was one Getsumei hadn't seen in many years. The gaze of somebody who wishes harm. The man came closer to the boy. He spoke angrily, but quietly, almost as if to himself.

"You… You're supposed to be dead. You can't see me here. You can't be here boy."

And so Getsumei ran. The man came after him in pursuit. Adrenaline and fear began to take over the boy. He knew that if he was caught, the man would kill him. So he ran, through the labyrinth of alleys and roads. But no matter what attempts he made his pursuer couldn't be lost. Looking over his shoulder, Getsumei saw the man was close. As the boy took a left down and alley and looked back in front of him his heart sunk.

A wall. He had taken a wrong turn. As turned around, he saw the man. He was trapped.

The man's face was a mask of seething rage. "Damn it boy, you shouldn't have seen me." Pulling a small knife from his belt he charged at the boy.

All Getsumei could do was close his eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** _Just want to say thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed my story. All your comments and encoragement means a lot to me and makes me want to do all I can to make a story worth reading. This work is for everyone, so I want to do it justice. I'm now alternating between this story and another one, and with uni I may not have as much time to update. But I'll do my best. I'm having fun writing. So pleasent reading. _

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**Chapter 7:**

As Getsumei closed his eyes, his other senses opened. He had never experienced a sensation like this in his life. He could hear the soft sounds of sand being swept up by the wind; the sound of the man's footsteps in the dirt, a steady rhythm drawing nearer. He could feel the warm Suna winds wrapping around his body, weaving through his robes, through his hair, across his face. He could smell the dust. Suna always smelled of dust, kicked up by the constant winds. In the distance the restaurants had begun producing their own aroma, each one competing over the other, their dance enticing those who passed. The boy held his breath. He was unable to tell whether his heart was racing or was slowing down. Time had stopped. Was he dead? He couldn't remember being struck. Maybe he died instantly. Getsumei stood, too afraid to open his eyes.

Then out of the darkness came a voice. "I think you should stop there."

The voice was one Getsumei didn't recognise.

"…trying to hurt a small kid. Troublesome."

Slowly, after what felt like minutes, the boy summoned enough courage to open his eyes. In front of him was his attacker. Only instead of rage, his face was now one of bewilderment. Knife still in hand, he simply stood there. Behind him Getsumei could see a man he didn't recognise. He wore long, dark pants and shirt over fishnet material. Over that was a green vest. _He must be a ninja._ The man was kneeling down on one knee and he held his hands together in a strange way.

"Don't worry kid," The man began to stand. He was quite tall and lean, his hair dark and spiky. He had his hair tied up.

Suddenly, someone appeared next to the boy, startling him.

"Don't worry Getsumei, it's me, Temari." The boy looked up to see a familiar head of blonde hair. Temari kneeled down to Getsumei's height. "Don't worry, he can't hurt you now." Taking the boy's hand, she slowly led him around his attacker and to their accomplice. Temari smiled at the man.

"Thanks Shikamaru."

The lead ninja smiled. "Don't mention it. There's no way I'd let a coward like this hurt a child."

When Getsumei looked down he saw that there was a long shadow between the two men. Temari smiled to herself as she watched the boy. _You're right Kankuro. He is a bright one._

"That's Shikamaru's technique. Kage Mane no Jutsu. Don't worry, he won't escape. He can't move unless Shikamaru lets him.

The dark haired ninja turned around to face away from the boy. As he did, Getsumei noticed his attacker also turning, facing the boy. Suddenly the man waved. Getsumei looked at Shikamaru, who again, was doing the exact same thing as the man.

Temari walked over to the grey haired man. "Okay. We're going to go for a walk, and then we're going to have a nice long chat, alright?" She looked over to Shikamaru. "I'll look after the boy. Can you take him to the holding cells? You remember where they are?" The leaf nin nodded.

"And try to find Kankuro."

-----------------------------------

After Shikamaru left with Getsumei's attacker, the boy and Temari went back to Kankuro's apartment, after backtracking to collect the boy's dropped books. They entered the apartment and Getsumei sat on the couch while Temari went into the kitchen to make some tea. When she came back, she sat in the chair opposite Getsumei.

"How are you feeling?"

The boy nodded his head gently. "Better now. I was really scared before."

Temari frowned. "I know. It was a scary thing, and you were very brave."

The boy nodded, his eyes on the floor. "Did I do the right thing by trying to run away?"

Temari stood up and walked over to the couch. Sitting next to the boy, she hugged him. "Yes, you did the right thing. You did really well." She looked at the boy. She had never really paid much attention to what he looked like before. He had dark hair, almost black. It was scruffy and came down past his ears, down to his neck. If it were tidier it probably would have been quite straight. He had delicate features, small mouth and nose. His skin was surprisingly fair for someone who had grown up in the desert.

When Temari looked into the boy's eyes, she was surprised. His eyes were a striking dark blue. She had expected to see a cold loneliness, like she had seen in her youngest brother's eyes for so long. His eyes were strange. Conflicted. There seemed to be a conflict between his sorrow and his happiness. Yet at the same time, his eyes seemed calm, passive. His eyes betrayed his years. They were like those of an old man, and at the same time, so innocent.

Getsumei looked up a Temari, smiling. "Thanks for saving me Temari-san."

"Hey, we're family remember."

"Yeah, we're family."

--------------------------------------------

"Kankuro"

Shikamaru found Kankuro on guard patrol, near the main entrance.

"What is it?" The puppeteer ninja wasn't expecting to see Shikamaru any time soon.

"I need you to come with me." The dark haired leaf nin's voice was serious. "Getsumei was attacked earlier."

Kankuro's anger flared up. "What?"

Temari and I were walking to the Hokage building when we saw the boy being chased by a man. We followed." Kankuro grit his teeth together. "When we found them the attacker had the boy cornered in the alley, charging at him with a knife. I was able to stop him before he could reach the boy."

Kankuro nodded. "Where is Getsumei now?"

"Back at your apartment with Temari. I've taken the assailant into custody. Witnesses from the scene reported that the boy seemed familiar with the man."

Again Kankuro nodded. "I'll see Getsumei first. Then I'll interrogate the assailant."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. He knew what Kankuro's interrogations could be like. "Okay, then I'll come with you. I need to see Temari anyway."

Kankuro laughed dryly. "Still chatting up my sister eh?"

Shikamaru didn't give the satisfaction of a reply. This banter occurred every mission and visit to Suna. He quit playing the game a long time ago. "So when did you decide to become a babysitter?"

The puppeteer scowled. The leaf-nin was too damn smart for his own good. So damn good, it was actually scary. "I'm not a babysitter. He lost his entire village in one night. I couldn't just abandon him."

Shikamaru narrowed his brow. "Which village?"

"A small village on the edge of Wind Country. About 200 kilometres south of the border to Earth Country."

"Any ideas on who attacked it? Or why?"

"No. But we have our suspicions." Kankuro sighed. He probably shouldn't be discussing this with Shikamaru, but he knew that Shikamaru was reliable. Besides, if the Sand's suspicions were true, they may need to call on Konoha in the future.

"There have been numerous raids and attacks on small villages for several months now. Evidence seems to point to Rock shinobi. But we have nothing substantial enough to act on."

Shikamaru's mind raced. He could always calculate scenarios and answers within seconds. "So they're trying to provoke the Sand?"

Kankuro nodded. "We think so. The problem is we don't know why. We can't find any motive. We have been neutral with the Hidden Rock for years."

The two continued along the rooftops of Suna. The sun had now been long set, and the two were now dashing under the moonlight.

Shikamaru looked at the puppet ninja. "They probably see the Sand as a threat."

Kankuro looked at the dark hair ninja. "A threat to who? Themselves?"

Shikamaru nodded. "Ever since the alliance with Konoha, the Sand has slowly began to rise in prosperity. Gaara is a strong Kazekage, and is making the Sand more powerful. But until certain events, they couldn't hope to defeat Gaara."

Kankuro lowered his head. Anger and sadness laced his words. "Shukaku…"

"With the Shukaku Gaara was too strong an adversary. But since Akatsuki…"

He let his sentence trail off. _No need to bring back painful memories. Too troublesome._

He continued after a moment's silence. "Now that Gaara no longer has the Shukaku, the Rock probably thinks Suna is vulnerable. But they don't want to start an all out war, so they're trying to provoke the Sand."

The lazy ninja let out a long yawn. "But then again, this is just speculation."

Kankuro shook his head. "No, you're probably right. It wouldn't be the first time. When lost Sandaime Kazekage we were unprepared, concentrating all our forces on the search for the Third. We were attacked by the Hidden Rock while we were weak. It happened again with Yondaime Kazekage, after the Konoha invasion. And now they think they can do it with Gaara."

Shikamaru nodded, looking at Kankuro seriously.

The two shinobi continued running in silence.

"So why are you looking after the kid then? I know as well as everyone that you hate children. What do you see in him?" Shikamaru gave Kankuro a questioning look. He wasn't going to drop the subject.

Kankuro dropped his gaze down. He hadn't really thought about it. He had his suspicions, but he wouldn't allow himself to face them.

He sighed. "I don't know. I think…I think in a way he reminds me of Gaara when he was young; alone. I just didn't want him to have the same life Gaara had to live."

Shikamaru watched Kankuro as he spoke. He had never really seen Kankuro open up before. This was something Shikamaru suspected not many people saw.

Kankuro continued. "I guess I didn't want to just sit back and abandon the boy. If I couldn't help Gaara, then I could somehow make it up through this child." The puppeteer smiled. "Besides, he's a really cool kid. Sharp mind too. I think you'll like him. You could probably con him into playing shougi with you."

Shikamaru just laughed. "Troublesome."

-----------------------------------------------

"Kankuro!"

It's okay Getsumei. How are you?"

The boy nodded. "Temari has been looking after me." He smiled.

Kankuro felt a wave of relief wash over him. _This boy's strong._

Shikamaru walked into over to Temari who was standing in the kitchen doorway. He whispered something in her ear, to which she only nodded.

Kankuro sat next to the boy. "Okay Getsumei, I need to ask you a few questions. Is that okay with you?"

The boy smiled warmly and nodded.

"Okay. First, did you know the man that attacked you?"

Getsumei nodded again. "Yes. He was from my village. His name is Hibiki; he ran a store in my village."

Kankuro nodded. Shikamaru and Temari stood still. Kankuro continued. "What was Hibiki like? Did you know him?"

At this the boy frowned. "Not really. He used to yell at me sometimes and chase me away from his store. But other times he used to give me food. I never knew if he liked me or not."

Kankuro nodded again. "Okay. That will do for tonight. You must be tired. Go get some sleep. We can talk more tomorrow okay?"

Getsumei smiled and nodded. "Okay Kankuro." With this he stood and walked to the two shinobi in the kitchen doorway. With a bow, he took his leave in the main bedroom. Shikamaru couldn't help but laugh. _Funny kid_.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** _Okay guys, sorry about the wait. I've been busy with uni and stuff. But here it is at last. Hope you enjoy it. Again, I'd really appreciate reviews and comments. It makes me happy to know what you all think. Enjoy_

**Chapter 8:**

The pain to Hibiki's jaw came instantly. Kankuro stood over the grey haired man, fists clenched. The interrogation had now started.

"You're going to tell me everything. Why you attacked the boy, why you survived the massacre and why you're here in Sand."

Hibiki looked up at his interrogator. The young man had a fierce look in his eye, his face seething with rage. Hibiki knew that if he messed around, this man would possibly kill him.

"Okay, I'll tell you everything." The man sighed. "About two months ago, some Rock nin came to our village. They visited my store and began to ask me about our affiliation with Suna. I-I couldn't refuse them, so I told them everything. They told me about their plans to destroy the village and offered to spare my life if I worked for them. I couldn't refuse them."

"So you betrayed your village instead. Did you know that they were planning on using the boy as bait?"

The man nodded. "Yes."

Kankuro furrowed his brow. "So why are you here in Sand?"

The man hesitated. "The Rock nin wanted me to act as a spy in Suna. To gather any information I can."

Kankuro grabbed the Hibiki's shirt and jerked him up out of his chair. "Why does the Rock need a spy in Suna? What are they planning?"

The man cowered. "I don't know. They wouldn't tell me anything. I only report to them."

Kankuro threw the man back down into his seat. He sighed. _This man was only a pawn. But we now have proof that the Rock are up to something._ He decided that this was enough for now. They could interrogate Hibiki further if needed.

Kankuro left the room. _I need to see Gaara._

----------------------------

Kankuro stood in the Kazekage's office. Gaara was working late as usual. He still rarely slept, even without the Shukaku. Kankuro had arrived earlier and informed the Kazekage on what he had learned. The information confirmed both their fears. Hidden Rock was planning something against Suna.

"So what now?" The Puppeteer's face was stern.

Gaara's face remained impassive, though his eyes were a maelstrom of thoughts. "We cannot act on this alone. Unfortunately we still have no grounds to retaliate." The Kazekage sighed. "We must be patient. We will deploy defensive forces in the villages that will most likely be at risk. We won't be able to send many though, if the Rock is planning an attack we will need to defend Suna."

Kankuro nodded. He wasn't happy, but he knew Gaara was right.

Gaara spoke suddenly, surprising Kankuro. "How is Getsumei?"

Kankuro grinned. "He's fine. A strong kid. I'm guessing this isn't the first attack he's faced."

The Kazekage nodded. This boy had felt the cold touch of loneliness. It's icy hand, never leaving your shoulder, holding everything and everyone away from you. Gaara had managed to break away. But it had not been easy. Gaara knew that he would that he would lead Getsumei away from the darkness of isolation with everything he had. Like Uzumaki Naruto had done for him.

Kankuro saw the slight drop in Gaara's expression, the sliver of a smile that formed on the impassive canvass. Only those close to the Kazekage could catch these drops in his emotional guard. The people of Suna had taken the Kazekage into their hearts, and as a result he had taken them into his. Kankuro smiled. Gaara was fated to be the greatest Kazekage in history. His rule was bringing an age of peace. Gone were the war driven days of the Sand, the days of their father. He knew that Gaara would give his life to defend the village.

Gaara of the Desert was no longer the Hidden Village of Sand's greatest weapon. He was its heart, its blood and its protector. Gaara of the Desert was the embodiment of Suna; his crimson hair an embodiment of the Sun, and his sand the embodiment of the land. He was a living sunrise, a new beginning for the Hidden Village of Sand.

------------------------------------------------

As the light of the morning sun entered the room, Getsumei had already woken. He sat on the bed, books scattered around him. He had begun quite a collection. But this morning there was only one topic he was interested in. Open in front of him was an old leather bound book. On the spine read _'History of the Suna Shinobi'_. As he flipped through the pages of the book, taking in everything on the page, Getsumei's mind raced. The book contained all history on the Sand's ninja, from the creation of the village to recent years. Getsumei smiled to himself. He had gotten a real bargain for this book. There few specifics given in the book regarding individual ninjas and techniques. Getsumei knew that was classified information, Kankuro had told him so. But the book did contain information on important figures of Suna. Information and history was given on the past Kazekage. There had been four before Gaara. The boy read about the Fourth Kazekage. _Kankuro, Temari and Gaara's father. _The more the boy read, the more he wanted to know. Shinobi were fascinating, their lives, their abilities, their loyalties.

As Getsumei looked out the window, he noticed that the sun was high in the sky. He looked at the book in front of him. The book he had just finished. Grinning to himself, he stood up and stretched. He changed clothes and went into the main room of the apartment. Kankuro sat at the table, doing something his some kind of wooden arm. The boy walked over the table and sat opposite Kankuro, watching him in silent curiosity. Kankuro eyed the boy then returned his focus onto his puppet.

"So what have you been doing all morning?"

Getsumei smiled sheepishly. " Reading."

Kankuro raised an eyebrow at the boy. "Yeah? What about?"

Getsumei grinned enthusiastically. "Shinobi"

Kankuro laughed. He supposed he wasn't that surprised. The boy was bound to want to know more about ninjas. He sat the puppet arm down and leaned back into his chair. "So, what do you think of ninjas?"

"They're amazing. They do amazing things." The boy was grinning widely. Suddenly his smiled dropped into a look of curiosity. "You're a ninja aren't you Kankuro? And Temari and Gaara?"

Kankuro smiled. He began to move his fingers under the table.

Getsumei watched in amazement as the puppet arm began to move. Suddenly it rose up on two fingers like they were legs and began to walk towards him. As the arm approached him it laid down flat in front of the boy. Getsumei leaned down to inspect the arm.

Suddenly the arm jumped up and grabbed the boy's shoulder. Getsumei cried out in surprised. Kankuro laughed loudly. He made the arm let go and return to him.

Getsumei glared angrily at Kankuro. But soon anger was replaced with awe. Kankuro smiled to himself. He had guessed that this may come up, but he didn't think it would be so soon. He had seen that look all too many times, in children and citizens all over the land. It was the look of wonder of those who admired shinobi. Kankuro leaned forward, his face suddenly serious.

"Getsumei, would you be interested in becoming a ninja?"

Getsumei grinned ecstatically. He had been hoping for this question. He wasn't sure if just anyone could become a ninja, but he had to try. For once in his life he had a goal, a dream to reach for. He would become a ninja of the Sand, and protect everyone close to him.

Kankuro nodded. "You understand that the life of a shinobi is a difficult one? You will face death everyday. Not just your own death, but that of those closest to you as well?"

Getsumei nodded. "I do."

Kankuro smiled. "I'll take you down to the academy tomorrow morning."

----------------------------

The Suna academy was a series of halls joined by smaller, narrower passageways. As he walked through the academy yards Getsumei could see numerous children. Some were sitting in groups, others running around playing whatever games kids play. On the outskirts of the yard Getsumei could see several children throwing blades into targets, obviously training. Getsumei was both excited and nervous. He was thrilled at the idea of becoming a ninja, but at the same time he was nervous about attending the academy. He had never spent time with other children; they never wanted anything to do with him. He had always dealt with adults.

Kankuro saw the boy's expression and smiled. "Don't worry, you'll be fine." Getsumei looked up at Kankuro and smiled.

The two made there way into the administration hall of the academy. Kankuro told Getsumei to take a seat and wait for him. Getsumei did as he was told, while Kankuro walked over to a woman sitting at a desk. He spoke to her for a while, filled out some paperwork, and then finally made his way back to the boy. Kankuro smiled. "Well kid, you're enrolled. Let's go make a ninja out of you."

-------------------------------------

The classroom was full of children. Some talked quietly amongst themselves, others made much more noise. Getsumei was nervous. As he entered the classroom he felt all eyes drawn to him. He felt vulnerable. He was a stranger. How would they react to him?

A man, seemingly in his early twenties, stood at the front of the room. "Alright everyone, quiet down."

At his command, all the children in the classroom made their way to their seats and sat quietly and attentively. Suna children knew discipline. Their traditions had always been strict. They were not there to be children. They were there to become weapons, to become shinobi. They were there to learn to kill, to strike from the shadows.

The teacher gestured for Getsumei to come closer. He looked up at Kankuro who gave him an encouraging nod. As the boy walked into the classroom, Kankuro took his leave.

The teacher turned to the class. "Children, we have a new addition to our class. This is Getsumei. Please do all you can to make him feel welcome."

The boy blushed slightly at all the attention. The teacher turned to Getsumei. "I'm your teacher Takamaru. Please find a seat and we'll begin the lesson."

Getsumei looked into the sea of child shinobi. He decided on the first absent seat he could find, in the middle row on edge the isle. He took his seat and looked to see who he was sitting next to. He sat next to a young girl, probably the same age. She had mid length brown hair, about the same length as Getsumei's. Her eyes were a deep grey. She was wearing loose white robes, common for many of Suna's residents. She smiled at Getsumei, causing the boy to turn a slight shade of crimson.

Takamaru began the lesson. Getsumei paid his full attention to Takamaru-sensei, making sure not to miss a thing the teacher said. They had gone over the basics of chakra and combat theory for Getsumei's sake. He thought the other children would resent him for making them go through such basic lessons, but the other students for the most part paid attention in interest.

After several hours Takamaru dismissed the children for a recess. All the students left the classroom and made their way to the academy grounds. Getsumei found a spot to sit in the shade against a wall. He watched the other student, some played, some talked, and some trained. He found them fascinating. He decided to train. They had covered quite a lot during the morning's lesson. Takamaru-sensei was happy with the way Getsumei was progressing on his first day. Getsumei closed his eyes and felt for chakra. He had to learn to recognise it before he could use it. So he sat, using the focusing methods he had learned that morning.

Across the yard a girl saw the new boy sitting alone, his eyes closed.

"Do you think he's asleep?"

"Maybe"

Suddenly the girl and her friend saw the boy make a seal.

"He must be trying to use his chakra. Do you think he'll be able to use it before the end of the day?"

The other girl laughed. "I doubt it. It took me three days. He's only just started, he'll probably be lucky if he can use chakra at all. He might not be good enough to become a ninja."

The brown haired girl sighed. It was true. There were many dropouts from Suna academy, mostly due to a combination of high standards and a decline in capable students.

As the two girls sat and watched the boy an instructor called out that class would recommence. All the students began to file back into the academy halls.

Getsumei was one of the first to arrive at his seat. He sat patiently, waiting for the remaining students to find their seats.

"Excuse me"

Getsumei looked up to see the brown haired girl who sat next to him.

"Can I get in?"

Getsumei blushed and quickly stood to allow the girl to enter the row. The girl sat down and smiled at the boy.

"My name's Hakusa. What's yours?"

The boy blushed even more. "I-I'm Getsumei. Nice to meet you."

Hakusa smiled at the boy and went to say something else when Takamaru began the lesson. Getsumei focused his attention to the front of the classroom.

After an hour of lessons Takamaru got the students to line up for Jutsu revision. Getsumei was told to sit back and focus on other studies.

As the students began to use their techniques – basic transformation and clone techniques – Getsumei couldn't help but be amazed. He had never seen anything so spectacular. He quickly flicked through his morning notes on these techniques and began to reread.

One by one the students performed the techniques, every one to a satisfactory standard. Takamaru praised the class and dismissed them for a break. As the students filed out of the room Takamaru looked up to see Getsumei, still at his desk studying.

"Getsumei, you can take a break now. You've been working hard all day."

Blue eyes looked up at the teacher. "Takamaru-sensei, can I try a technique?

The teacher raised a questioning eyebrow at the boy. "So soon? It usually takes a few days to a week for most students. But if you want to try by all means, go ahead."

Takamaru smiled at the boy as they made their way to the front of the classroom.

"Do you remember what I said about chakra and how to control it?"

The boy nodded and took his stance. He brought his hands up into a seal and began to focus, closing his eyes. _Concentrate. Feel for the chakra. Slowly draw it out. Store it._ The boy's eyes opened. He began to form the seals. He was slow, but accurate in his gestures.

"Henge no Jutsu."

There was a puff of smoke. As the smoke lifted there was a figure, the same hight as Getsumei. He had attempted to imitate his teacher. Takamaru looked at the replica of himself. Or rather, himself with a few deformities. The nose was large and crooked. His lips, fat and pursed. Getsumei released the Jutsu and lowered his eyes to the ground disappointed. He was so sure he could do it properly. He had read about it over and over. He was spent the entire recess and half of the lesson trying to focus his chakra.

Takamaru looked at the boy and smiled. "Don't worry too much about it. Like I said, it usually takes a while. That was actually pretty good for a first attempt. Trust me, I've seen worse."

Getsumei looked up and nodded, but slowly returned his gaze to his feet. He slowly left the classroom and made his way out to the yard. Again he spent the entire time focusing. The other students all noticed him, some laughing, others giving curious looks. But Getsumei was oblivious to it all. He needed to improve. He needed to be the best he could. At the end of the break all the children returned for the final lesson.

At the end of the day Takamaru dismissed the class and praised them for a hard days work. The children all began to make their way home. Takamaru was about to leave when he spotted the top of a familiar head.

"Go home Getsumei."

Takamaru left to make his way to his office. He got his office door when he realised he'd left some papers in the classroom. Groaning he turned around and made his way back. As he reached the classroom he could see Kankuro leaving, obviously just picking Getsumei up.

"Goodbye Kankuro-sama. You'll be pleased to know that Getsumei did really well today."

The puppet master turned around and gave the teacher a smile. "Thanks Takamaru-sensei." He then turned and continued to leave. Takamaru scratched his head and shrugged, entering the classroom. He picked up his papers and was about to leave when something outside the window caught his attention. He went over to have a look. There was Kankuro waiting at the academy gates. Takamaru saw Getsumei enter the yard and make his way over to Kankuro, the two of them leaving together.

Takamaru scratched his head again. _He couldn't have. Could he?_

_--------------------------------------- _

_Hakusa - white sand_


End file.
